The present invention relates generally to methods and equipment used in the purification and decontamination of water, and more particularly to a water purification method using electrical discharge within a water stream.
A significant amount of research and development has been undertaken in recent years towards environmental clean-up operations, and in particular to the purification and decontamination of ground water, waste water, and drinking water. The need for decontamination of water can vary from the continuous treatment of industrial waste water to dealing with one-time contamination of water pools or ponds at a single location. Accordingly, methods are needed which are feasible on both a large and small scale.
A variety of techniques have been used in the prior art to destroy or remove contaminating and toxic materials in water supplies. These include the use of shock waves created by ultrasonic vibrations and exposing the water to ultraviolet radiation. Electricity has also been employed as a decontamination agent, such as by introducing positively charged ions into a water stream to cause coagulation and separation of particles, and by the passing of electric current within a fluid chamber whereby the current flow between the anode and cathode has a toxic effect on microorganisms nearby.
Chlorination is well known and effective in limiting bacteria and microorganisms but has little effect on organic chemicals. Conversely, activated carbon filters can remove organic chemicals but such filters are extremely costly and require regular maintenance.
The use of ozone injection can also be effective. However, to be efficient, an ozonation facility must be extremely large. Therefore, its cost and size renders it unsuitable for use, for example, to clean up small contaminated ground water and waste water sites. Hydrogen peroxide injection systems can also be used but are not preferred because of the effects of inorganic contamination and because of the high costs associated with such systems.
What is needed, then, is a water purification and decontamination method which can effectively destroy or remove a variety of organic materials and chemical toxins at relatively low cost, which does not require the addition of other chemicals or further processing of the contaminated water, and which can be adapted for use in both large and small scale operations. Such a method is presently lacking in the prior art.